Maybe they should exclude any team that qualifies for Europe from the League Cup the following season? Let’s face it most of the top six aren’t that bothered about it anyway nor do they want the extra games. The other teams contesting it would value a league cup win far more than any of the top six plus it would give a different team a route to Europe and a chance to progress. Obviously won’t happen but wouldn’t be the worst thing.

I'm the scumbag outlaw. You're the pillar of justice. Neither of us like looking at ourselves in the mirror. Do we have a deal?

Mitro and Rondon are similar, but Mitro doesnt come close to Rondon in terms of attitude and hard work, which is something most overlook when this debate comes up.

Late to commenting on this, but Mitro has never lacked in hard work, whether with us, Serbia or Fulham. He's very impactful defending in his own end, especially set pieces, chases opposing players plenty in the attacking end, and works really hard during hold up play. That isn't to say Rondon doesn't work hard, because I completely agree he wears himself into the ground running around as the lone player up top - if anything I wish he'd expel a little less energy on that stuff so he didn't look so gassed late in the halves.

Now, discipline is another matter, and potentially attitude on the training pitch.

What a prick Kepa is. Sarri every right to be pissed off. I’d drop him for the rest of the season.

I know a player should show more respect to his manager, but if a manager wants to yank you off for being injured after 115 minutes, and you're not injured, I can understand trying to plead the case to stay on. I mean, any other sport and if you're injured the player and manager would discuss it - the entire circumstance of the situation felt weird.

What a prick Kepa is. Sarri every right to be pissed off. I’d drop him for the rest of the season.

I know a player should show more respect to his manager, but if a manager wants to yank you off for being injured after 115 minutes, and you're not injured, I can understand trying to plead the case to stay on. I mean, any other sport and if you're injured the player and manager would discuss it - the entire circumstance of the situation felt weird.

He'd gone down twice though so clearly wasn't in the best shape to be facing penalties (and Caballero on the bench has a relatively good reputation for saving them). It's a team sport and ultimately you might not like the decisions but you save your misunderstandings or arguments for in the changing room IMO. From the moment all that happened it was clear that only one team were winning the shootout as Kepa / Chelsea effectively heaped every ounce of pressure onto themselves.

It's a bit of a shame for Chelsea as up until then they'd handled themselves and City pretty well from a defensive point of view and appeared to be playing for each other. Then that happened and it just showed all the fractures and weaknesses in the squad. As has been said in the media, a strong captain would have sorted it out but Azpi didn't do anything.

I'm the scumbag outlaw. You're the pillar of justice. Neither of us like looking at ourselves in the mirror. Do we have a deal?

I know a player should show more respect to his manager, but if a manager wants to yank you off for being injured after 115 minutes, and you're not injured, I can understand trying to plead the case to stay on. I mean, any other sport and if you're injured the player and manager would discuss it - the entire circumstance of the situation felt weird.

He'd gone down twice though so clearly wasn't in the best shape to be facing penalties (and Caballero on the bench has a relatively good reputation for saving them). It's a team sport and ultimately you might not like the decisions but you save your misunderstandings or arguments for in the changing room IMO. From the moment all that happened it was clear that only one team were winning the shootout as Kepa / Chelsea effectively heaped every ounce of pressure onto themselves.

It's a bit of a shame for Chelsea as up until then they'd handled themselves and City pretty well from a defensive point of view and appeared to be playing for each other. Then that happened and it just showed all the fractures and weaknesses in the squad. As has been said in the media, a strong captain would have sorted it out but Azpi didn't do anything.

Definitely. I think everyone handled it terribly. Kepa shouldn't have waved it all away, Sarri shouldn't have just sat in his seat shouting and gesticulating, Cesar should have shown some leadership. It all could have been avoided had the manager, keeper and trainer maybe actually talked to one another.

Again, I get that Kepa should have just done as told, but I do think a keeper injury sub is a little different than the usual substitution situation, and for as much as the team seem to be quitting on Sarri, he's obviously not doing enough to build trust and loyalty either.